Page 99 of Spindrift

“Children,”said Lillian from the doorway of the house. Hermione glared regally down atthem all from her stronghold in Lillian’s arms.

Angiegot one last spray in, then let the hose fall to the ground. Lillian turned itoff and skirted the soaked grass on her way over to Morgan.

“Goodday?” Morgan asked.

“IfI have to hear one more person complain that I should treat their animal forfree because, and I quote,I would do it if I really loved animals, I’m goingto scream.”

“Askthem if they would do their job for free,” said Morgan.

“Ithink I would prefer to just have you help me bury the bodies.”

“That’swhat friends are for, Lil.”

Emiliawas all too familiar with the problem. Owners, who rarely saw the real cost ofhuman medicine, failed to appreciate how much their medical insurance covered,and then there was the fact that vets paid just as much for vet school as humandoctors did for medical school, only to make a third, if not less, of theirsalary. To say vets were in it for the money was to confess complete and totalignorance of the American medical system.

• • •

They hadjust finished eating when Morgan’s pager went off.

“Noooo.”Stevie slumped in her chair.

“Atleast you got dinner. And hey, maybe it will be an easy one,” said Angie.

Therest of them stared at Angie in horror.

“She’sbeen out of the field too long,” Stevie said with a wide-eyed expression.“She’s forgotten the curse.”

“Thecurse is bull—”

“Itis not bullshit and you know it. The veterinary gods are cruel and unforgiving.We’ll probably be stuck out all night now.”

“Thenat least you got dinner.”

“Don’tmake me get the hose again.”

“It’sAbby Killmore.”

Thename meant nothing to Emilia, but Stevie broke off arguing with Angie and blinkedat Morgan.

“Oneof her sheep?”

“No.It’s Olive.”

“Olive?”Emilia asked.

“Thehorse Stevie’s in love with,” said Angie.

Morganwhipped out her cell and called Abby while Stevie explained that Olive had beena teenage girl’s barrel racing prospect, only to develop stringhalt and getdumped at her mom’s cousin’s. Emilia’s heart twinged. Shelter dogs and cats hadit rough; horses, perhaps, had it even worse. Long-lived and expensive to keep,they got passed around from owner to owner, and so many ended up as pastureornaments before their time, out of shape and bored, or at slaughter.

“Allright,” Morgan said as she hung up. “Emilia, I’m sorry.”

“It’sfine. I knew you were on call. How’s the horse?”

“Colic.”Morgan turned to Stevie. “Is the truck gassed up?”

Stevienodded, and Emilia felt words bubbling up in her chest. She tasted them, butshe wasn’t sure of their meaning until they left her mouth.

“Needa hand?”

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